Portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus



Sept. 25, 1956 R. A. STOKE-.1s 2,763,965

PORTABLE ABRAsIvE CONTAINING AND FEEDING APPARATUS Filed oct. 28, 195AAT'LTORNEY Har PORTABLE ABRASEVE C'NTAMWlNG AND FEEDENG APPARATUE Roy A.Stokes, Baton Rouge, La. Application @ctober 28, 1954, Serial No.465,316 itl Claims. (Cl. 51nd) This invention relates to the feeding ofrluent materials and more particularly to an apparatus for storing andfeeding an abrasive, such as sand, to one or more nozzles Where the samemay be utilized for sand blasting or other analogous operations.

Heretofore, many types of abrasive feeding units have been developed andutilized, but the majority of these have included only a singlecontainerfor the abrasive, thereby limiting the capacity of theapparatus and, at the same time, requiring the complete apparatus to beemptied and cleaned if it is desired to use another grade or size ofabrasive. Furthermore, with these prior art devices, it has only beenpossible to supply a limited number of blasting nozzles and no provisionhas been made for feeding such nozzles from one abrasive container whilea second container is being filled. As is wellknoWn, most abrasives arerelatively heavy and consequently, if a suihcient quantity thereof is tobe contained and transported for abrading operations at Widely spacedlocations, it has been necessary to provide a relatively large containerif a suiiicient quantity of the abrasive is to be carried thereby. Theprovision of one large container has introduced many problems of design,in view of the Weight carried therein and consequently, a containing andfeeding apparatus in which the abrasive may be contained in mo-re thanone container results in greatly simplifying the design andconstruction. It is also to be noted, that an apparatus utilizingmultiple containers may be made considerably lighter than an apparatusfor containing an equivalent quantity of abrasive and Where only asingle container is provided.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an abrasivecontaining and feeding apparatus in the form of a small trailer havingground-engaging wheels and incorporating a plurality of containers forthe abrasive together with suitable feeding means for the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a portableabrasive containing and feeding apparatus including a plurality ofcontainers for the abrasive and means for selectively feeding suchabrasive from either or both containers.

A still further object of the invention is the provision o-f a portableabrasive containing and feeding apparatus including a plurality ofcontainers for such abrasive and in which different grades of abrasivemay be placed in each container and one or the other grade of abrasiveselectively fed to the blasting nozzles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a portable abrasivecontaining and feeding apparatus including a plurality of abrasivecontainers and in which abrasive may be fed from one container whileanother container is being refilled.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a portableabrasive containing and feeding apparatus including a plurality ofcontainers for the abrasive together with means for introducing iluidpressure to abrasive ejector means which may be coupled to blastingnozzles.

A still further object of the invention is the provision rates Patent fPatented Sept. 25, 1956 of a portable abrasive containing and feedingapparatus in which the entire load of abrasive is distributed between aplurality of containers thereby precluding the necessity of providing asingle, relatively large container of massive construction in order tosupport the relatively heavy abrasive material.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a portableabrasive containing and feeding apparatus which may be conveniently andeconomically constructed from readily available materials and with acapacity several times that normally found in abrasive apparatus of thisnature incorporating a single abrasive container.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing wherein the single figure is a View in perspective with partsbroken away for greater clarity and showing a portable abrasivecontaining and feeding apparatus constructed in accordance with thisinvention.

With continued reference to the drawing there is shown a portableabrasive containing and feeding apparatus constructed in accordance withthis invention and comprising a chassis lil which may be made up ofcross-frame members ll and 12 connected by side frame members 13 and i4to which may be attached converging side frame members 15 and i6 formingan A frame and terminating at their apex in a trailer-hitch or couplingi7. The coupling or hitch 17 may be provided with aligned apertures llSfor receiving a pin to connect the same to a draw bar extending from anysuitable towing vehicle. Rotatably mounted at suitable locations on eachside of the chassis lil are ground engaging wheels i9 and in order thatthe chassis ltl may be supported in more or less level position whendetached from the towing vehicle, there may be supplied a supporting legor prop 2t) which may be adjustably received in ears 2l projecting fromthe hitch or coupling 17 adjacent the apex of the forward portion of thechassis l@ and oct or prop 2t) may be provided adjacent the lower endthereof with an enlarged ground-engaging shoe 22.

Extending upwardly from the chassis 10 is a framework which may compriseupstanding members 23, 24, 25 and 26 of angle iron or other suitablestructural members and these members may serve to support containers 27and 28 for receiving abrasive material. The containers 27 and 23 may `bewelded to the upstanding kframe mem bers, as shown at 2?, or may besecured thereto by any other suitable means, and the upstanding framemembers 23 and 24 may be reinforced by a cross brace member 30 and themembers 25 and 25 reinforced by a cross brace member 3l.

As shown in the drawing, the containers 27 and 2S are cylindrical inshape and are provided at their upper ends With generally concave topwalls 32 and 33 which may be provided with centrally located apertures34 and 3S to facilitate filling of the containers. The concave top walls32 and 33 in effect provide funnels which will serve to receive theabrasive material and direct the same to the iilling apertures 3d and35. The container 27 is provided with a convex bottom Wall 36 at theapex of which is attached an outlet tting 27 and the container 28 isprovided with a convex bottom wall 33 at the apex of which is attachedan outlet fitting 39. Convex bottom walls 36 and 38 serve to direct theflow of abrasive material in the containers 27 and 28 respectively tothe out let tting 37 and 39. Secured to the outlet fitting 37 is acutoff valve 40 and secured to the outlet fitting 39 is a cutoff valve41. The purpose and operation of these valves will be presentlydescribed.

Directly below the containers 27 and 28 there is disposed an abrasivemat receiving manifold 42 of inverted V-shape and this manifold 42 mayWell comprise opposi'tely extending, downwardly inclined conduits 43 and44,these conduits being joined together at 45 and being provided attheir opposite ends with clean out closures 46 and 47 respectively. Theclosures 46 and 47 may be provided with nger-engaging handles 4S tofacilitate manipulation thereof and such closures may be convenientlyrcmoved to facilitate cleaning of the conduits d3 and /l-fil and whenreplaced will prevent iiow of abrasive material from each end-of themanifold 42. The conduit d3 is connected to the cutoff valve d@ througha nipple @and the conduit lli-is connected to the cutoff valve il th anipplev Sti. it will therefore be seen, that by manipu- Iation'of valveal@ and valve il that ilow of abrasive terial from containers 27 and 2Sto the conduits d3 and 44 ofthe manifold 42 may be selectivelycontrolled and such material supplied to either conduit i3 or f.' bothconduits simultaneously. This permits us ferent grades of abrasive ineach container Z7 or permits the use of one container while the othercentaineris being reiilled with abrasive material.

Extending downwardly from conduit d3 of manifold 42 are abrasive feedingconduits 5l and 52, but obviously, if desired, a larger number of suchconduits could well be supplied. Likewise, abrasive feeding conduits 53and 54 extend downwardly from the conduit 44 of manifold 42 and at thelower end of each of these feeding conduits there is attached abrasiveejectors 55S, lid, 57 and 5S respectively. Each ejector is provided witha coupling 59 to which may be attached a discharge hose 6h, which hosemay lead to a Vsuitable blasting nozzle or 30 to any other devicedesigned to be fed with abrasive from the apparatus of this invention.The coupling 59 may be of the well known type which automatically closesthe outlet from the ejector 56 upon uncoupling of the hose 66 andautomatically opens this outlet upon coupling the hose 6ft to theappropriate ejector. ln this way, any or all of the ejectors may beutilized as required by the operations being performed.

Supported in any suitable location on the apparatus, but preferably onthe front side of the containers 27 and 28 is a fluid pressureconnection including control valves 6l and 6?. to either of which may beconnected a suitable conduit d3 communicating with a source of fluidpressure. Valves nl and d2 communicate with a connected 6ft which inturn is connected to a moisture or oil separator 65. rlhe specificconstruction of the separator 65 forms no part of this invention andconsequently, a detailed description thereof is considered unnecessary.However, this Vseparator d is so constructed as to separate any moistureor oil in the pressure iiuid utilized in this apparatus, in order thatthe same will not in any way contaminate abrasive being fed thereby.'l`he separator 65 is provided at the bottom thereof with a drain cock66 which may be utilized to drain o any moisture or oil collecting inthe separator 65.

Connected to the separator 65 is a fluid pressure manifold 67 from whichconduit ne? is connected to ejector 55 and conduit 69 to ejector 56. Asecond fluid pressure manifold itl is also connected to the sepaartor 65and from this manifold a conduit 7i connects to the ejector 57' and aconduit 72 to the ejector 53. While separate manifolds 67 and 7d areshownl and described, obviously a single manifold might be connected tothe separator 65 and suitable conduits lead from this manifold to theappropriate ejectors.

It will be seen that by this construction uid pressure is continuallysupplied to' each of the ejectors 55, 56, 57 and 5S and that operationof such ejectors is controlled by coupling or uncoupling of thedischarge hose 60 to each ejector.

In order to facilitate filling of the containers 27 and 28, there may beprovided a frame comprising side mem`1 bers" 73 and 74 connected to theupstanding frame members 23 and 25, and supported above the side framemeinbers and 16 of the chassis 10 by upstanding members 75 and 76.Therframe composed of the side members 73 and 74 may be of the samegeneral shape as the lower A frame and in order to provide a suitableplatform may be covered with suitable sheet material, such as sheetsteel '78. This platform may have suitable projections or indentationsin the material thereof in order to provide a firm footing for theoperator of the apparatus.

The containers 27 and 23 may be made of any desired size within thepractical limits of the device and it has been found that thesereceptacles may conveniently vary from one which will hold five hundredpounds of abrasive .material te one which will hold tive thousandpounds. in other words, the total capacity of an apparatus of thisnature could well be one thousand pounds of abrasive material. lnoperation the receptacles or containers 27 and 28 may be filled withabrasive material of the or two diderent grades of such material may beutilized, one in each receptacle, and by opening both valves itl andsuch abrasive material will be fed to both the conduits Il?) and ld ofthe manifold 42 and also such material will be fed to all of theejectors 55, 56,

and Sii. Assuming that a discharge hose 60 is connected to each ejector,consequently, it will be possible to supply four blast nozzlessimultaneously. Likewise, if either valve itl or lll is closed, theabrasive material will be fed to the appropriate conduit i3 or 44 of themanifold 42, and also to either the ejectors 55 and 56 or the ejectorsrand 5%. in this way, abrasive of one grade can be fed to two of theejectors and abrasive of av different grade may be fed to the other twoejectors. Also, if it is desired, abrasive material may be fed from onecontainer until the same is substantially empty and then the feedshifted to the other container While the first container is beingrefilled. in this way, no delay in operation of the apparatus forrelling is necessary and con-` tinuous blasting operations may becarried out.

The apparatus of this invention is conveniently portable and may betowed from place to place by a suitable vehicle, and there uncoupled forconvenient operation and in view of the relatively large capacity ofthis apparatus it is frequently entirely possible to carry out oneentire job without retilling the same.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departingv from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only asyindicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable abrasive containing and feeding appara-vA tus comprising achassis, ground engaging wheels on said chassis, means on said chassisfor coupling the same to a towing vehicle, a supporting frame extendingupwardly from said frame, a pair of abrasive containers mounted' on saidframe, each container having a cylindrical side wall, a convex bottomwall and a concave top Wall, a filling opening in said top wall at thelowermost point thereof, an outlet fitting secured to said bottom wallat the apex thereof, an inverted V-shaped abrasive manifold disposedbeneath said containers with the apex of said manifold disposedsubstantially midway between said containers and providing downwardlyinclined, oppositely extending conduits, an abrasive cutoff valveconnecting the outlet fitting on each container to the adjacent conduitwhereby upon manipulation of said valves, abrasive may be selectivelyfed to either or both conduits,v a removable clean-out closure on theouter end of each conduit, a plurality of abrasive feeding tubesconnected to the lower sides of eachrconduit, a fluid pressure abrasiveejector connected to each feeding tube, means for said ejectors may beselectively utilized and whereby certarn of said ejectors may beselectively supplied with abrasive from either or both.

2. A portable abrasive container `and feeding apparatus comprismg achassis, ground engaging Wheels on said chassis, means on said chassisfor coupling the same to a towing vehicle, a supporting frame extendingupwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containers mounted onsaid frame, each container having a convex bottom wall and a concave topWall, a filling opening .in said top wall at the lowermost point thereoan outlet fitting secured to said bottom wall at the apex thereof, aninverted V-.shaped abrasive manifold disposed beneath said con` tainerswith the apex of said manifold disposed substantially midway betweensaid containers and providing downwardly inclined, oppositely extendingconduits, an abrasive cutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on eachcontainer to the adjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of saidvalves, abrasive may be selectively fed to either or both conduits, aremovably cleanout closure on the opposite end of each conduit, aplurality of abrasive feeding tubes connected to the lower sides of eachconduit, a fluid pressure abrasive ejector connected to each feedingtube, means for connecting a discharge hose to each ejector, a moistureseparator mounted on said apparatus, means for connecting a source offluid pressure to the inlet of said separator, a fiuid pressure manifoldconnected to the outlet of said separator and conduits connecting saidfluid pressure manifold and each ejector whereby one or a plurality ofsaid ejectors may be selectively utilized and whereby certain of saidejectors may be selectively supplied with abrasive from either or bothcontainer.

3. A portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging wheels on said chassis, means on said chassisfor coupling the same to a towing vehicle, a supporting frame extendingupwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containers mounted onsaid frame, each container having a convex bottom wall and a concave topwall, a filling opening in said top wall at the lowermost point thereof,an outlet fitting secured to said bottom Wall at the apex thereof, aninverted V-shaped abrasive manifold disposed beneath said containerswith the apex of said manifold disposed substantially midway betweensaid containers and providing downwardly inclined oppositely extendingconduits, an abrasive cutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on eachcontainer to the adjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of saidvalves, abrasive may be selectively fed to either or both conduits, aplurality of abrasive feeding tubes connected to the lower sides of eachconduit, a uid pressure abrasive ejector connected to each feeding tube,means for connecting a discharge hose to each ejector, a moistureseparator mounted on said apparatus, means for connecting a source offluid pressure to the inlet of said separator, a fluid pressure manifoldconnected to the outlet of said separator and conduits connecting saidfluid pressure manifold and each ejector whereby one or a plurality ofsaid ejectors may be se lectively utilized and whereby certain of saidejectors may be selectively supplied with abrasive from either or bothcontainers.

4. A portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging Wheels on said chassis, means on said chassisfor coupling the same to a towing vehicle, a supporting frame extendingupwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containers mounted onsaid frame, each container having a convex bottom Wall and a concave topwall, a filling opening on said top wall at the lowermost point thereof,an outlet fitting secured to said bottom wall at the apex thereof, aninverted V-shaped abrasive manifold disposed beneath said containers andproviding downwardly inclined, oppositely extending conduits, anabrasive cutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on each container tothe adjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of said valves, abrasivemay be selectively fed to either or both conduits, a plurality ofabrasive feeding tubes connected to the lower sides of each conduit, afluid pressure abrasive ejector connected to each feeding tube, meansfor connecting a discharge hose to each ejector, a moisture separatormounted on said apparatus, means for connecting a source of Huidpressure to the inlet of said separator, a fluid pressure manifoldconnected to the outlet of said separator and conduits connecting saidfluid pressure manifold and each ejector whereby one or a plurality ofsaid ejectors may be selectively utilized and whereby certain of saidejectors may be selectively supplied with abrasive from either or bothcontainers.

5. A portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging wheels on said chassis, means on said chassisfor coupling the same to a towing vehicle, a supporting frame extendingupwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containers mounted onsaid frame, each container having a convex bottom wall, an outletfitting secured to said bottom wall at the apex thereof, an invertedV-shaped abrasive manifold disposed beneath said containers andproviding downwardly inclined oppositely extending conduits, an abrasivecutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on each container to theadjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of said valves, abrasive maybe selectively fed to either or both conduits, a plurality of abrasivefeeding tubes connected to the lower sides of each conduit, a fluidpressure abrasive ejector connected to each feeding tube, means forconnecting a discharge hose to each ejector, a moisture separatormounted on said apparatus, means for connecting a source of fluidpressure to the inlet of said separator, a fluid pressure manifoldconnected to the outlet of said separator and conduits connecting saidfluid pressure manifold and each ejector whereby one or a plurality ofsaid ejectors may be selectively utilized and whereby certain of saidejectors may be selectively supplied with abrasive from either or bothcontainers.

6. A portable abrasive containing and. feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging wheels on said chassis, means on said chassisfor coupling the same to a towing vehicle, a supporting frame extendingupwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containers mounted onsaid frame, each container having a convex bottom wall, an outletfitting secured to said bottom wall at the apex thereof, an invertedV-shaped abrasive manifold disposed beneath said containers andproviding downwardly inclined, oppositely extending conduits, anabrasive cutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on each container tothe adjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of said valves, abrasivemay be selectively fed to either or both conduits, a plurality ofabrasive feeding tubes connected to each conduit, a fluid pressureabrasive ejector connected to each feeding tube, means for connecting adischarge hose to each ejector, a moisture separator mounted on saidapparatus, means for connecting a source of liuid pressure to the inletof said separator, a fluid pressure manifold connected to the outlet ofsaid separator and conduits connecting said fluid pressure manifold andeach ejector whereby one or a plurality of said ejectors may beselectively utilized and whereby certain of said ejectors may besupplied with abrasive from either or both containers.

7. A portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging wheels on said chassis, a supporting frameextending upwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containersmounted on said frame, each container having an outlet fitting securedthereto, an inverted V-shaped abrasive manifold disposed beneath saidcontainers and providing downwardly inclined, oppositely extendingcondiuts, an abrasive cutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on eachcontainer to the adjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of saidvalve abrasive, may be selectively fed to either or both conduits, aplurality of abrasive feeding tubes connected to each conduit a fluidpressure abrasive ejectorconnected to each feeding tube, means forconnecting a discharge hose to each ejector, a moisture separatormounted on said apparatus, means for connecting a source of fluidpressure to the inlet of said separator, a fluid pressure manifoldconnected to the outlet of said separator and conduits connecting saidfluid pressure manifold and each ejector whereby one or a plurality ofsaid ejectors may be selectively utilized and whereby certain of saidejectors may be selectively supplied with abrasive from either or bothconduits.

8. A portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging wheels on said chassis, means on said chassisfor coupling the saine to a towing. vehicle a supporting frame extendingupwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containers mountedonfsaid frame, each container having an outlet fitting secured thereto,an inverted V-shaped abrasive manifold disposed beneath said containersand providing downwardly inclined, oppositely extending conduits, anabrasive cutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on each container,to the'adjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of said valvesabrasive may be selectively fed to either or both conduits, a pluralityof abrasive feeding tubes connected to each conduit, a fluid pressureabrasive ejector connected to each feeding tube, means for connecting adischarge hose to each ejector, a fluid pressure manifold on saidapparatus and conduits connecting said fluid pressure manifold and eachejector whereby one or a plurality of said ejectors may be selectivelyutilized and whereby certain of said ejectors may be selectivelysupplied with abrasive from either or both containers.

9. A portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging wheels on said chassis, a supporting frameextending upwardly from said chassis, a pair of abrasive containersmounted on said frame, each container having an outlet fitting securedthereto, an inverted V-shaped manifold disposed beneath said containersand providing downwardly inclined, op-

positely extending conduits, any abrasive cutoff valve connectingV theoutlet tting on each container to the adjacent conduit whereby'uponmanipulation of said valves, abrasive may be selectively fed to eitheror both conduits, a plurality of abrasive feeding tubes connected toeach feeding tube, means for connecting a discharge hose to eachejector, a fluid pressure manifold on said apparatus and conduitsconnecting said fluid pressure manifold and each ejector whereby one ora plurality of said jectors may be selectively utilized and wherebycertain of said ejectors may be both containers.

10. A portable abrasive containing and feeding apparatus comprising achassis, ground engaging Wheels on said chassis, a supporting frameextending upwardly from saidl chassis, a pair of abrasive containersmounted on said frame, each container having an outlet fitting securedthereto, an inverted 'V-shapedabrasive manifold disposed beneath saidcontainers and providing downwardly inclined, oppositely extendingconduits, an abrasive cutoff valve connecting the outlet fitting on eachcontainer to the adjacent conduit whereby upon manipulation of saidvalves abrasive may be selectively fed to either or both conduits, aplurality of abrasive feeding tubes connected to each conduit, a fluidpressure abrasive ejector connected to cach feeding tube, means forconnecting a discharge hose to each ejector and means for supplyingfluid pressure whereby one or a plurality of said ejectors may beselectively utilized and whereby certain of said ejectors may beselectively supplied withrabrasive from either or both containers.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,025,247 Rosenberger Dec. 24, 1935 2,468,984 Krieg May 3, 1949A2,594,072 Ridley Apr. 22, 1952.

' FOREIGN PATENTS 298,633 Germany June 18, 1917 969,490 France May 24,1950 selectively supplied with abrasive from either or

